Improvement in hay-presses



iwzza.

@y ZD/w3.

N. 121,244. Paented Nov. 28, 1871.

,L ES J l A B i l, l I

wit eww'. (Q'smmxor:

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

i FINLAY F. HAMILTON, OF GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAY-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.121,244, dated November 28,1871 antedated November 9, 1871.

To all whom it lmal/y concern:

Be it known that I, FnvLAY F. HAMiLToN, of Green Bay, in the county of Brown and State of Wisconsin, have invented an Improved Hay- Press; and I do hereby declare the following tol be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in whichv Figure l is a vertical section of a hay-press showing my improvements applied. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detached side view.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawing indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its object to improvethe hay-press for which Letters Patent were granted to me January 10, A. D. 1871, No. 110,849; and it consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter described.

In the patent referred to the press consists, in general terms, of an upright rectangular box or case, A, mounted upon sills B, and provided with an interior pressing-platen or follower, C, operated by ropes from a windlass, D, hung between the sills. The follower works upon vertical guiding-ribs within the case, which ribs are grooved for thereception of the operatin gfropes. Notches are formed in opposite edges of the follower to lit over these guides. Thefollower is raised from the press by a cord attached toit at E, and working through a pulley-block, F, on a crane, (i, pivoted to the side of the case. When the follower is raised by the lifting-cord, which cord is operated by an attendant for this purpose, it is swung round out of the way and suspended on the crane. The bottom of the case is provided with grooves forthe tying-ropes, which are placed therein and made fast at each end to a pin, H, after passing through slots in the doors I, to be retained during the operation of pressing. The under surface of the follower is also grooved in a similar manner for passing the ends of the cords through for tying when the pressin gis complete. The press thus far described I do not claim herein, as it is embraced in my former patent. My present invention, however, consists in an improved arrangement of the follower-ropes, to permit the follower to be more easily raised from the press, and whereby the ropes themselves are rendered more efficient in their operation. It

also consists in improved means for hanging the doors to produce close joints, and in the means for locking the doors in place. I apply additional doors I, Fig. l, to the narrow sides of the press to facilitate the operation of removing the pressed bales. Instead of hanging the doors I I directly to the walls of the press I hinge them to the outer face of the cross-bars J, so that when closed they shall swing under said bars and form a close joint with the casing of the press. K is a latch pivoted centrally to the lower cross-bar of the doors I', and adapted to catch under the stops l l affixed respectively to the box A and sills B upon opposite sides of the door. By simply turning the latch to clear it from the stop the doors are released and may be swung open. To lock the doors I firmly closed during the pressing operation, I hinge one or more short blocks, M to the lower cross-bars in such a manner as to form a brace against the cross-piecesN of the sills. To release these doors it is only necessary to throw up the blocks sufficiently to clear the cross-pieces N, as will be readily understood.

By this arrangement an exceedingly strong lock is produced, because the blocks are too short to yield under the greatest pressure. The simplicity of the connection also allows the doors to be locked and unlocked with great rapidity. The doors are held open by any suitable means, but I prefer to suspend their free ends from cords O attached to the sides of the press.

P P are the following-ropes, each fastened at one end to the windlass D. The set of ropes P pass from the windlass under the roller Q, and thence upward within the case to the top of the follower, where they are provided with rings, r, to engage with hooks s attached to the set of ropes P', which pass upward upon the opposite side of the case after extending under the roller Q, as shown in Fig. 1. The ends of the ropes 1 are fastened to the windlass upon each side of the drum D so that they shall wind up without interfering with each other. The advantages derived from the use of two sets of ropes instead of two ropes looped over the follower, as in my former patent, consist in their adaptation to be thrown entirely clear ofthe follower when it becomes necessary to raise the latter. In this event the ropes are unhoolred and suspended om the case by means of the slots tin its upper end, as shown. The Windlassuisoperated to draw down the follower by means of a rope, V, passing over the drum D', as will be readily understood. A ratchet and pawl, W X, are employed in connection with the windlass, to hold the latter from rotating backward when the strain upon the rope V is retained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The arrangement of the doors I hinged to and swinging under the cross-bars J of the oase,

the hinged blocks M, and cross-bars N in the frame B, as herein described, for the purpose specified.

2. The arrangement of the four separate following-ropes adapted to be attached and detaehed in sets over the follower, in the manner herein described, for the purpose specified.

' FINLAY F. HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

G. E. T. KYBER, JOHN P. DoUsMAN. 

